1. Technical Field
This invention is directed toward a portable device to be used in locating dangerous material and illegal substances in shipping containers. The device is to be used by a dog handler and his dog.
2. Background Art
Dangerous material or illegal substances such as explosives and drugs are often shipped into a country in shipping containers. The examination of shipping containers has always been difficult for any country's customs enforcement administration. The cost of examination is high and only a small percentage of the containers entering a country can be examined. Custom's enforcement personnel presently rely on intelligence information, expensive technology such as container x-ray systems, and labour intensive and time consuming manual inspections to try to minimize the entry of explosives and drugs into their country via shipping containers.
It is well known by custom's enforcement personnel to use dogs to detect dangerous materials or illegal substances such as explosives or drugs by smell. When the dogs are used to inspect shipping containers, it is necessary to unseal and open a shipping container to be able to have the dog inspect the container for explosives or drugs. Opening up a container for inspection by a dog however is time consuming and expensive.